Yonkers, N.Y.-based Consumer Reports praised McDonald’s December 11 announcement that it plans to reduce the routine use of medically important antibiotics by its global beef suppliers, a practice that public health experts warn contributes to the creation and spread of dangerous drug-resistant bacteria, sometimes known as superbugs.

“The antibiotics we all depend on are losing their power to treat disease because they’ve been misused for so long,” said Jean Halloran, director of food policy initiatives for Consumer Reports. “If McDonald’s successfully leverages its enormous buying power to require beef suppliers to use antibiotics more responsibly, it will set an example that other chain restaurants should follow. The ultimate impact of McDonald’s efforts will depend on the antibiotic reduction targets it will develop in the next two years and we’ll be watching that closely to ensure they are truly meaningful. But McDonald’s deserves praise for stepping up and trying to use its market power to address this growing public health crisis.”

Under the new policy, McDonald’s beef suppliers will not be allowed to use medically important antibiotics for growth promotion. Medically important antibiotics also cannot be used routinely for disease prevention, although they could be used under the guidance of a veterinarian in limited circumstances for controlling a disease outbreak.

Beginning December 2018, McDonald’s will gather information from the top 10 countries that supply its beef to establish a baseline understanding of the amount and type of antibiotics being used and will begin pilot projects for use reduction. By the end of 2020, it will establish antibiotic reduction targets for these suppliers. Starting at the end of 2022, it will begin publicly reporting its progress in meeting these targets. Consumer Reports called on McDonald’s to commit to using an independent auditor to monitor its progress in meeting the antibiotic reduction goals it establishes.

“We’re happy to see this is a global approach,” Halloran said. “Superbugs don’t respect national borders. There must be reductions in animal antibiotic use internationally to prevent the proliferation and spread of dangerous bacteria from other countries.”

Last October, McDonald’s earned an “F” grade in the annual Chain Reaction scorecard released by Consumer Reports and other groups, which graded the top 25 burger chains on their antibiotics policies and practices for beef. McDonald’s was not alone: 22 of the top 25 burger chains received failing grades. Two smaller chains – Shake Shack and Burger Fi – earned “A” grades for serving only burgers raised without antibiotics.

At the time, the groups called on McDonald’s and the other major burger chains to commit to sourcing beef from producers who use antibiotics under the guidance of a licensed veterinarian, and only to treat animals with a diagnosed illness or, in limited circumstances, to control a verified disease outbreak.

The beef industry has made only limited efforts to reduce antibiotics use, and as of 2016, beef accounted for 43% of all sales in the U.S. of medically important antibiotics for animal use, more than any other animal species. Most cattle raised for beef come from large industrial feedlots where they are routinely dosed with antibiotics to keep them healthy in crowded, stressful, and disease promoting conditions.

A 2018 Consumer Reports nationally representative survey of 1,014 U.S. adults found that 78% of respondents agreed that meat producers should stop giving antibiotics to animals that aren’t sick; 59% said they would be more likely to eat at a restaurant that serves meat raised without antibiotics.

35 Industry Titans to Be Recognized by Women’s Foodservice Forum

At its 2019 Annual Leadership Development Conference, the Women's Foodservice Forum (WFF,) will salute C-Suite vanguards who are publicly committing to help create limitless opportunities for women in their companies and the industry.

In celebration of WFF's 30th Anniversary accelerating women's workplace advancement, 35 of the industry's forward-thinking CEOs will be honored as Industry Titans, and recognized at a special ceremony as part of WFF's 30th Anniversary Celebration during the conference, March 10-13 in Dallas.

WFF Industry Titans are forward-thinking leaders in the food industry who are being recognized for their public commitment to prioritizing women's advancement in their own organizations, leveraging their influence to urge their peers to do the same, and creating change that will increase opportunities for women across the industry.

The honorees have joined ranks to help implement WFF's call for industry-wide gender equity solutions driven by CEO engagement that will enable the industry to win the war for talent, reap the proven rewards of gender-diversity and drive business growth.

WRF Releases Report about Wildfire Impacts on Drinking Water

The Water Research Foundation (WRF) has released a report, Wildfire Impacts on Drinking Water Treatment Process Performance: Development of Evaluation Protocols and Management Practices (4590). With the frequency and intensity of wildfires, especially in the western United States, increasing in recent decades, drinking water utilities may face issues with water quantity and availability, source water quality, and the ability to effectively treat and provide high-quality water that the public requires. The overarching objective of this project was to expand the knowledge base regarding the effects of wildfire on drinking water quality, treatment, plant performance, and operations.

The project had three main tasks:

Evaluate the effects of a wildfire on a particular treatment operation

Simulate post-fire runoff using conventional processes.

Evaluate the best treatment practices to deal with wildfire-impacted source waters.

"The findings of this report are timely as they can help utilities protect their water supply after wildfire events and continue to provide customers with a reliable, safe water supply," said WRF CEO Rob Renner.The report looked to better understand the effects of wildfires on source water quality and treatability, while also considering the effects on treatment plant operations and costs. The research team developed recommendations and a framework for utilities to assess the impacts of wildfire on water quality and treatment. The recommendations were made around the design and operation of treatment systems for utilities threatened by wildfire including areas like flocculation, sedimentation, filtration, disinfection, and advanced treatment. The findings of this study help fill a knowledge gap in understanding post-wildfire drinking water effects, vulnerabilities utilities face, and ways to improve process performance and wildfire preparedness.This research project was co-funded by Denver Water, City of Westminster (CO), San Francisco Public Utilities Commission, New York City Department of Environmental Protection, and Truckee Meadows Water Authority. The research team for the project included Fernando Rosario-Ortiz and Amanda Hohner with the University of Colorado at Boulder and William Becker with Hazen & Sawyer.

FDA Adds to IA Rule Draft Guidance Comment Time

Anyone who has planned to comment on the first installment of the three-part draft Intentional Adulteration (IA) Rule guidance will have an additional opportunity to do so. Although the closing date for public comment on the first installment is December 17, the FDA intends to ask for comments on both the first and upcoming second volumes during the comment period after the second installment of the draft guidance is issued.

In June, FDA released the first installment of the draft guidance designed to support compliance with the IA Rule under the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA). This rule is aimed at preventing intentional adulteration of food designed to cause wide-scale harm to public health, including terrorism targeting the food supply.

The second installment of the draft guidance will be presented in early 2019 alongside the first installment, so that the public can view content from both together. FDA wants to give stakeholders an opportunity to consider the available guidance materials when drafting their comments. When the second installment is published, there will be an additional 120 days to comment on the expanded guidance. It’s important to note that regardless of closing dates, the public may comment on an FDA guidance document at any time.

The first compliance date for larger businesses under the IA Rule is July 26, 2019.

FrieslandCampina Acquires U.S. Cheese Importer Jana Foods

The Dutch Royal FrieslandCampina N.V., a global dairy company, has acquired Paramus, N.J.-based importer and distributor Jana Foods. The acquisition is intended to further strengthen FrieslandCampina’s position in supplying Dutch specialty cheese to the US consumer.

Jana Foods will be integrated in the FrieslandCampina Consumer Dairy U.S.A. business. Dan Lynch, former owner and CEO of Jana Foods will remain involved in the business as vice president imports and senior commercial advisor. Financial details about this transaction will not be disclosed.

Jana Foods imports and markets FrieslandCampina’s Dutch cheese in the United States, along with other cheeses from the UK, Denmark, Australia, Ireland and other countries. The company has been a strategic partner of FrieslandCampina in the U.S. for many years, helping establish a strong position for FrieslandCampina’s international cheese with the distribution of Kroon, A Dutch Masterpiecem and Gayo Azul cheese brands.

FrieslandCampina products cover a wide range specialty imported Dutch cheeses from mild, aged, and smoked gouda to edam, Swiss Emmental and goat cheese Available in a variety of formats from wheels, loaves and wedges to slices, snacks and shaved. FrieslandCampina specialty cheese brands can be found in the deli section of supermarkets, club stores and mass merchandisers.

“This acquisition supports our strategy of investing for growth. This investment is in line with our strategy to grow our cheese business and strengthens our position in The Americas. This deal will allow us to offer consumers a wider portfolio of innovative products for the US market,” said FrieslandCampina Consumer Dairy President Roel van Neerbos.